“Mommy? Daddy? What happened to longtime Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett?”

“Oh honey, don’t worry. He’s living on a nice farm in the country now the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg now.”

Yep, it’s official. Tom Barrett, steadfast Milwaukee mayor since 2004, is set to shuffle off into the sunset and take a random/hilarious gig as the U.S. Ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. President Joe Biden nominated Barrett to the post in August. The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination via a voice vote Thursday night.

“As many of you know, I absolutely, absolutely love being the mayor of Milwaukee,” Barrett said Thursday night. “This is a dream come true to have this job. I love the people of the city, and I feel unbelievably honored to have been able to serve this community for nearly 18 years as mayor. But as I’ve often said, I’m not running from something, I’m running to something. And I think we all recognize that there are different chapters in life, and I’m very, very eager now to start this next chapter.”

So now what? Once Barrett resigns from his longtime job, Common Council President Cavalier Johnson will become mayor. After that, Urban Milwaukee explains, “the Common Council must call a special election ‘as promptly as possible.’ If that all takes place by Dec. 28, as now expected, a special primary would be held Feb. 15 and a special election April 5. Both dates coincide with the already scheduled spring election.”

Johnson has already announced himself as a mayoral candidate.

“I don’t know exactly what the timing will be for this,” Barrett said Thursday night, “but I anticipate that the changeover will take place before the end of the year.”

Urban Milwaukee also notes that “joining Johnson in the race are Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Sheriff Earnell Lucas, former alderman Robert Donovan, entrepreneur Michael Sampson, activist Nicholas McVey and Sheila Conley-Patterson.”

“I want to thank the people of the City of Milwaukee,” Barrett said Thursday night. “A kid on the west side of Milwaukee who had the chance to live his dream and serve his community, that’s something very special.”

Watch Barrett’s full Thursday night statement HERE.

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So, um, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will be nominated new U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg?

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Matt Wild weighs between 140 and 145 pounds. He lives on Milwaukee's east side.